Dole Europe has launched a new focus on water efficiency as it looks to reduce its water footprint.

The
supplier will look at four areas of water efficiency: maximization of
rainwater use, implementation of advanced irrigation techniques,
optimisation of the water used during the packing process.

Since
Dole joined the Water Footprint Network, the results of the company’s
efforts to conserve water are “quantifiable and meaningful”.

Preliminary
results of research conducted in Costa Rica suggest that around 100
litres of water are used to produce one kilo of Dole pineapples, and
around 250 litres for a kilo of bananas.

This compares to a
global average of around 1,600 litres of water used for the production
of a kilo of plums and 3,000 litres of water for one kilo of rice.

Roberto
Vega, director of sustainability at Dole, said: “Water stewardship is
very important to Dole. In addition to Carbon Footprint, soil
conservation and packaging, it is one of the four pillars our
sustainability strategy is built on. `Some` 75 per cent of the water
used worldwide is used by agriculture. As a result, companies working in
this industry have the responsibility to efficiently use this scare
resource. Our role is simply critical."